A few nights ago, I read this post called “when you want to do great things for God”….From one hope-to-be “warrior mom” to another…. I found much of this post encouraging and thought some of you may too. I love the idea of being a “warrior mom” in the Ephesians 6 type of way. We do not war against flesh and blood. What a joy it is to have littles in your home and watch God shape you and them as you love one another.

A few nuances I’ll add…because I think it’s important for “stay at home” moms and working moms to not consider our tasks too different from one another or to group together based on one or the other “label.” Some of the best parenting advice I got recently came from a gal with no kids who responded to my confession of falling short with a kiddo with the great advice that went something along the lines of, “yeah, I’m sure you are screwing up your kids. You’re not Jesus. They only need one Jesus. They just gotta see you be quick to run to him in worship for wisdom and grace.” #word

1) No matter where God has you & what gifts he’s given you: sweeping milk off the floor isn’t a distraction from that but an act of service to Jesus if done with a joyful heart. Its also not exclusive to motherhood (or even parenthood)…some of the dearest Jesus loving men I know with high pressure jobs sweep milk off the floor and cook dinner. Mundane service to others does not prevent mothers or fathers from using their gifts for the kingdom of God… These type of mundane things shape the gifts God’s given you to be used for his glory instead of your own.

2) A mom who works at home or a mom with a paid job…. Both of us need to find ways to use the gifts God’s given us: to serve him, our family, & the vulnerable. Don’t pursue greatness & don’t pursue dreams… Pursue faithfulness to Jesus. This looks differently for each of us… For some it’s starting and running a nonprofit, for others it’s being the homeroom mom. Neither one is “greater” then the other. The question for both of us is, do we do this with great love for the Lord and for the people around us (which includes our kids) or do we do this for man’s approval and accolades… That is how we will be judged.

Some moms are going to end up leading some ministry that serves hundreds and others are going to have their couch available during nap time for one hurting person to cry on and be loved on at a time. Each mother will be measured by her faithfulness to steward the talents God’s given her well.

The goal isn’t to be a “great” Christian leader OR even a “great” mom, but a faithful daughter of the King.

3) I’m convinced many of our “great” dreams are simply a desire to be famous/ heroic. It’s imparted almost from birth to us by a consumerist culture who thinks being a celebrity is the goal of human life or that bigger is somehow better.

If you could sit with these great Christians the author listed (like Amy Carmichael or Elizabeth Elliot)… They would probably tell you with great humility that somehow their name became the one to represent a work or movement that was really made up by a group of dear friends and if they were connected to other cities and places…they would also add that God did similar things through multiple other groups of friend at the same time. Mother Theresa’s would tell you her greatness was actually much more about the many weak she loved and the group of nuns who surrounded her. Without them she would be unknown.

Great things are not done by one person…. They are done by many. The Spirit never moves on one person to accomplish God’s purposes.

So dear sister… Let’s be faithful to loving & serving Jesus. Lets not stand at arms length from each other (“I could never handle what she does…when does she sleep?” or “that woman has it easy, she’s only got 1 kid and no job”) lets embrace one another, knowing we have much in common…we are all trying to fight selfishness and live more in-step with the Spirit each day as we seek to fulfill the calling he has placed on each of us to love and faithfully serve Him, this hurting world, and the family he has placed us in.

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About dennaepierre

I am the executive director of The Surge Network and am the founder and president of Foster Care Initiatives (www.fostercareinitiatives.org). Most of my foster care/adoption related blogging has been moved to that site.
This is my personal blog that I use to reflect on aspects of theology, culture, and our day-to-day life that includes being married to the pastor of Roosevelt Community Church, having a house full of kiddos (biological, adopted, and foster teens), and living in downtown Phoenix.